somewhere out there our paths may merge
by ovp
Summary: "Please!" For the first time the maid stares straight into the Evil Queen's eyes and she's always been perceptive and she's heard many tales of their illustrious monarch. But now she sees the beaten, broken woman who has had everything taken away from, and her every opportunity for happiness stripped away by Rumpelstilskin and so many till all she had left was anger, vengeance and


Marian shifts uncomfortably in the vinyl seat as she waits inside Granny's with Roland and Henry and some of the other children. The Queen has been missing for three days and the harrowing blizzard has only grown worse. She can't help the weary sigh that escapes her lips as she tugs on the sleeves of her jacket self-consciously, Robin has been searching tirelessly for her - along with, surprisingly, half the town - and she can't help the uncomfortable feelings that settle in her stomach at the notion that her husband appears to care incredibly deeply for the formerly evil monarch.

"Where's papa?" asks Roland in her lap as he draws a picture, there are many wonders in this new realm and Marian is fascinated by them all. Roland appears to be only fascinated in markers.

"We'll phone him later," she assures before swallowing. "He's looking for the Queen."

"Gina," Roland frowns morosely wiggling in her hold as he scribbles more furiously at the childish rendition of the Queen that is taking shape on his piece of paper. Henry, across from her winces. Marian is not unaware of _**her**_ son's ardour for the Queen. It hurts acutely to have the child call the dark woman's name instead of her own, but Roland was nothing more then a small babe when she was lost to Robin; and Roland smiles at her like she's a guest, and calls her mama because papa tells him to but it's like an empty promise and Marian almost begs for it to stop.

"I," she mumbles running fingers distractedly through her son's mop of curly brown hair, "I need a moment, Henry." He nods taking Roland and she stumbles outside to collect herself. Emma's son is so good and kind, yet he's not Emma's son not really. He's the Evil Queen's. How a woman who she only knew as vile, malevolent and wicked could raise such a selfless, nice child she couldn't understand but at the same time it explains her son's polite mannerisms and niceties. She's a good mother. A real mother. And Marian is angry at the opportunity that was robbed from her twice over by the Queen. She is a babysitter to her own son and nothing more.

The biting cold soothes her nerves somewhat until a crashing sound, like swords colliding, reverberates from the back alley behind the restaurant. Her blood freezes. Perhaps it is more of those horrid snow monsters come to do them in or perhaps it is the Snow Queen herself come to freeze their children and use them as pawns in her next attack.

But really the marvels of this world as limitless as she pulls out her new cellphone and speed dials Robin while creeping towards the mouth of the alley. If only such inventions had existed in the Enchanted Forest she need never have worried about the success of a heist or the endless days and nights of loneliness while waiting for news on her husband's return. But whatever she was expecting when she tentatively peers into the alley pales in comparison to the sight that actually greets her and even as her beloved archer answers the call his concerned voice resonating in her ear with vivid clarity, _"Marian? Marian!"_ she let's the phone slip from her grasp and sink into the snow.

There, sitting waist deep in snow, leaning heavily against the brick wall is the missing Queen. As she edges closer it is apparent the mayor's breathing is haggard and her eyes may be closed but beneath the lids movement flickers faster then she can recognize. This is the woman who for three weeks has stealthily avoided everyone, including Robin, a fact she had not failed to notice hurt her husband incredibly. But now as she kneels beside her it is blatantly clear that something is very wrong with…Regina…because it is hard to think of this woman as the proud, unyielding Evil Queen when she's wearing nothing more then a knitted sweater, a pair of jeans, and a scarf. Marian squints falling back gasping as swirls of frost creep above the blue fabric adorning her neck, deadly fingers of cold working their way across the disturbingly blue faced woman. What devil magic is this?

"Your majesty?!" She can't bring herself to touch the Queen but even as the woman groans pulling her knees up from the snow she hears strange crackling noises, like the crunching of thin sheets of ice across puddles on a frosty morning, and Marian realizes that this is not okay. "I will go get the Dark One, he may, he will help," she flounders because Regina is deliriously whispering a strange language under her breath and her hands are raised, fingers turning blue and transparent as a white light emanates from them shrouding the diner in a brilliant glow before dissolving. "I…what did you do?"

"It's a protection spell," she sneezes loudly and hacks through a labored gasp, "I'm almost done." Regina raises hands of ice, literal ice, towards her, and begs, "please."

"I am not touching you! I will go get the Dark One you are not well!"

She wheezes a shallow laugh. "No but it's enough, please, I can save you. I must save. You make him happy. So happy."

_Who's happy?_ Marian wants to yell because she is not happy and her husband, the man who won't touch her or look at her but to have a look of ardent shame dress his face, most certainly is far from happy. He sees her but at the same time sees another and Marian doesn't want it.

"_**Please!**_" For the first time the maid stares straight into the Evil Queen's eyes and she's always been perceptive and she's heard many tales of their illustrious monarch. But now she sees the beaten, broken woman who has had everything taken away from, and her every opportunity for happiness stripped away by Rumpelstilskin and so many till all she had left was anger, vengeance and malevolence and she became a tool abused, manipulated, and exploited for other people's purposes but this, the hand extended towards her, is all Regina. This is Regina asking her to take her hand. "Please…." Her hair is slowly turning white and her lips are caked with forming frost.

The Queen's fingers don't move when Marian grasps them and she bites back a hiss at their icy texture and the chill emanating from them but again the silent words are uttered and a glow washes over her and Regina slumps back against the wall, spent, breathing so shallow Marian can hardly believe she's alive but the cold hands frozen in front of her tell a different tale.

"Thank you," she rasps and even in death, or whatever state this is, she is beautiful. The sad smile that graces her quickly freezing lips matches equally with her doleful eyes. "You're safe. Live."

"I do not understand."

"You make him happy," Regina repeats on a whisper and then, nothing, she's ice, cold hard immutable ice - a figurine with a sad smile and slumped shoulders heavy with the weight of loneliness and despair - hands raised in forever surrender.

Minutes pass, most likely seconds, but to her they feel like slow moving moments as the rapid approach of footsteps crunch across the snow and Robin appears in the alley taking in the scene before literally tossing his cross bow to the ground as he scrambles towards the fallen Queen. Robin whose bow was a like an extension of his arm, his most valuable weapon which he could never be parted from landed with a soft thump in the snow; abandoned and discarded in his race to reach Regina. Robin has never let go of his bow.

There were many instances in the Enchanted Forest when the wretched thing had been strapped to his shoulders as they made love and in hindsight she had thought such an action exciting, dangerous, and romantic but now such notions rest with a sour taste on her tongue - she hadn't been enough for him to let go of it. It had taken a Queen for him to put down his bow, remove it, feel he and his vulnerabilities were safe enough for him to no longer need its protection.

Robin hurriedly peels his gloves off, despite the sub zero temperatures, tossing them rapidly aside - one smacking Marian in the thigh - as he tightens his fingers against Regina's in some attempt to reignite their warmth.

It's awkward and painful to watch as both his hands grip her raised ones desperately trying to connect with the digits as he presses his forehead to the ice sculpture his face wrought with unparalleled grief and sadness as he openly weeps; unheard words of comfort and pleas issuing from his lips as he begs and wheedles for her to move, to smile, to breathe.

"Oh my…" utters Mary Margret her eyes also full of tears as she presses a hand to her mouth at the scene, "Marian do…do you know what happened?" Again, it feels like everything moves in slow motion because Marian is suddenly jerked; Robin is fiercely gripping her arms.

"Did she say anything? Did she say how to fix this? Marian, please!" He pleads and his grip is unrelenting, nails biting into her skin even through the thick coat, she'll bruise tomorrow. Her Robin would never touch a woman like this. Never shake them violently and hold them angrily and demand answers. It wouldn't have mattered if the woman was the most vile creature on Earth, he would never touch a woman to get his answer; never threaten a woman with violence. She blinks back her own unshed tears slowly realizing, more so then ever, that the man, Robin, this man Robin, is not her Robin. He has had to fight and claw his way through loneliness and despair and protect a child more so then uphold his morals.

"She," she licks her lips eyes flitting between the crying Robin (he's actually crying over the former Evil Queen) and the "dead" Queen. "She said I was safe," and she looks him dead in the eyes, "and be happy." If possible Robin's face breaks further as he let's her go and sags to his knees, face buried in his hands.

The eerie quiet that has fallen over them breaks when a wail shatters it and they all turn sharply to see a pale faced Henry clinging onto a screaming Roland but it doesn't take long for his hands to drop as they both fall towards the woman. Marian grabs Roland before he reaches the Queen, and he thrashes desperately in her grip, while Henry kneels before his mother fingers prodding at her face before recoiling in abject horror.

"_**How?!**_" The boy demands, voice angry and cold. "HOW!"

"There's ice in her heart, dearie." The Dark One, the imp, stands before them a quiet frown marring his features as he surveys his former student. "I'm guessing she probably managed to stave off it's rather malicious intents with magic but," he shrugs gesturing to the prone, frozen figure, "that could only last for so long."

"So what?" snaps Emma, "Regina's stuck as a popsicle?"

"They say only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."

Emma rolls her eyes, "when is it ever not true love?"

"So it's like a curse?" Henry asks hopefully, the eyes of the truest believer alight with hope, as he leans forward and kisses his mother's forehead. Nothing happens. Henry looks crushed, and Robin who has been watching the exchange with rapt fascination can't meet the boys eyes when they land on him.

"It's not that simple."

Snow turns angrily stamping her foot in aggravation. "Will you at least for once pretend to help? Why didn't Henry's kiss break the enchantment?"

"Because Regina's heart is broken. No amount of true love can fix that." And because he's the Dark One and Rumpelstilskin is not above petty jabs he adds. "And boy, have you done anything to even prove to your mother that you love her. A heart can only love alone so long." Emma, Killian, and Henry look down ashamed. Since the preteen had moved in with them he hadn't been spending as much time with her adoptive mother, reveling in the fact that he had one complete familial unit and for Emma her borrowed memories made her believe and accept herself as Henry's primary caregiver easily. "But that is not the only problem."

"Of course there's more," snorts David.

"I hope none of you think those "accidents" Maid Marian has been experiencing are merely coincidences." All eyes turn to her and she suddenly feels very exposed.

"I didn't do anything to her," she protests. But what the imp had said was true. Horseless carriages nearly running her over, heavy objects falling from high places, unexpected occurrences with various harmless objects.

"They weren't accidents?" wonders Snow shocked.

"No," states the man bored, "it's the actions of Fate trying to rectify the course of time: unless of course you are actually that absurdly unlucky, dearie."

"Of course not."

"Bringing Marian to the future created the price of one life. One life that was supposed to die decades ago. Regina is more then aware of the actions of death, she's paid Marian's toll. Nothing will harm you anymore, dear." Marian does not care for the imp's tone and she feels a chill creep up her spine because the last person she ever wanted to be indebted to is the Evil Queen.

"Regardless," he continues, "this changes nothing."

"It changes everything," roars Robin standing, "Regina is…Regina is…" Roland still sobs heavily in her arms, and he feels like a dead weight, because he continues to struggle and call for the woman.

"Dead." Robin lunges for the man grabbing him by his collar and hauling him off the ground.

"Is this somehow funny to you? After all the misery you caused her!"

Perhaps in the most surprising act of all Rumpelstilskin turns sad eyes to Robin, his face actually etched with some traces of grief, "it's not funny at all."

* * *

She must have used those three weeks quite diligently because there's already a place for her body in her crypt and there's more potions then either Emma or Rumpelstilskin know what to do with or how to use and there are letters. Most of them short, some of them longer like the entire notebook Henry finds with his name on it. She receives one, as does Robin and Roland. Even Leroy gets one which actually causes him to go a little misty eyed, although all it reads is, _Never change you damn stubborn dwarf._

Robin rips his letter open almost greedily but whatever he finds there does nothing to relieve the look of anguish on his face and after he reads whatever is written there his expression morphs into outright rage as he crumples it fiercely between his fingers looking like he is about to rip it to shreds before he stops, smoothing out the edges and tucking the paper away in a pocket.

Marian refuses to open her letter. She has no intention of forgiving Regina and most certainly is more then frustrated at the fact that now apparently, as the accidents have stopped, she has been spared from death by a sacrifice she didn't ask for. Opening the letter would be prostrating herself to the world as accepting of the Queen.

Elsa's still a very real threat so she is not surprised, and perhaps is largely relieved, when Robin says he and some of the Merry Men shall go and patrol the woods. She lies on the bed in_** their**_ room above the diner and thinks. She thinks about the fact that her husband doesn't touch her anymore, they share a bed but not a mind. She closes her eyes, fingers skimming Regina's envelope.

She's not ignorant of the relationship the Evil Queen and Robin have shared. Robin had told her, quietly and honestly that he had at least "officially" been involved with Regina in the time since her "passing." He'd answered all the questions she'd asked, but never offered more then what she asked.

In the span of, at most, a week she had gathered he had kissed the Queen innumerable times and they had made love once and in the two months she's been in Storybrooke she can count the number of times he has kissed her on one hand. _Innumerable_…the mayor, the Queen, the someone to her no one, had been kissed by her husband innumerable times. Marian does not think herself a spiteful creature but she can't help but be angry. A dalliance, a moment of weakness perhaps, could be easily forgiven but knowing, knowing that it was most likely more made her ache because now she felt like the consolation prize won at a fair.

Opening her eyes she cast a glance at Robin's side of the bed, although the amount of time he had actually occupied said side had been few but what she's looking for is not comfort or empty embraces as she yanks open the drawer of his bedside table and fishes out the letter he's so lovingly preserved.

She steels herself gently unfolding it and reading the words:

_Somewhere out there our paths may merge but not today. Take your second chance. Be happy._

_~ Regina_

It's not exactly a sonnet nor is it some dying confession of ardor but the words tell a story of lost opportunities and happiness. She shouldn't feel like a stranger to her own husband and child. She shouldn't feel like the outsider who can't understand the stories the Merry Men tell or accept that people are different because she hasn't seen them change - she only knows what she sees.

She carefully refolds the letter and returns it to the drawer and goes to seek answers to the questions she had not asked. And so she finds Little John, a snoozing Roland in his lap, in the diner below. "I need you to be honest with me," she says as she slides into the booth across from him, "I need you tell me about the relationship between the Queen and Robin."

John tenses looking between the peaceful Roland and her. He's a big man weathered by life but underneath a gentle soul who does not wish to cause harm. "I know Robin confides in you," she sighs reaching across and grasping his stiff hand in her two soft ones, "I am not asking you to break his confidence I just, I need to know what you saw. I need to know."

His brows furrow and his lips pucker in an almost adorable manner. "What is it you want to know?"

"How did they meet?"

"Are these not questions you should ask him? He has told you to ask."

Marian smiles sadly. "I was too afraid to ask such things when he first confessed I thought…" She concentrates on a coffee ring on the table. Coffee. She could use coffee. "I thought I would be enough. I thought that no matter what they shared _**our**_ time together would mean more. Even the stories here, in the library, all say the noble thief Robin Hood ends up with Maid Marian - none of them include Evil Queens."

Little John breathes deeply, again checks that Roland is still napping, and meets her watery eyes with a pair of his own. "They met in the Enchanted Forest when the first curse was broken. Regina refused to have anything to do with him."

"I don't understand."

"Trust me when I say a more stubborn, headstrong woman has never lived. We saved her and she accused us of trying to kill her."

"Then why?"

"She saved Roland," shrugs Little John simply, "that was the beginning - when he started paying attention at least. After he helped her break into her own castle something changed between them both; despite constantly bickering like angry children both appeared to seek the confrontation at the same time."

"Like children," marvels Marian. Robin has never sought to create conflict with anyone. Arguing to be sure. Witty comebacks, yes. But actually instigating himself in a situation to desire such debates that did not sound like Robin at all.

"Are you alright, Marian?" asks the man before her squeezing her hands, having forgotten they were still in his gentle grasp.

"Yes, please continue."

"As far as I can account for their year in the Enchanted Forest was little more then petty squabbles and barbs it was only when we arrived in this new realm, memories gone, that those two developed any level of intimacy. They worked in tandem and, well, she trusted him with her heart." Marian blinks confused. "Her literal heart, plucked it from her chest, and gave it to Robin for safekeeping. He lost it to Rumpelstilskin and then retrieved it when they went to face the Wicked Witch. I can only assume sometime in-between then they starting courting; they were too close for it to be otherwise. It was at that time her majesty was able to use light magic."

"Light magic?" Marian had only ever seen the Queen use magic stained a dark purple hue which clung to her like a miasma of misery and death, but then again the magic the Queen had used days earlier had not held that deadly hue but had been lighter and magnificent in its warm glow. She remembers the glow and the warmth against her skin.

"It was quite a sight to watch such pure, innocent power burst forth from the Evil Queen. Ironic poetry. She set everyone free and stopped the witch. If Robin wasn't infatuated with her before his expression sure spoke differently after that little display."

"I see."

"I'm sorry."

"No, no," she laughs weakly, "I asked and you answered. I would expect nothing less from you."

"But you are hurting my lady," says Little John kindly and Marian finds herself lost in his expressive, gentle eyes that betray wisdom far beyond his years.

"You are very kind." Then suddenly the ground is shaking and Roland is awake with a terrified yelp as one of the Snow Queen's beasts lumbers down the main street, icy claws of glacial size and temperature tossing cars and other objects out of the way. Little John swiftly moves to stand in front of her, depositing Roland in her arms as he goes, but something makes her yell to the patrons moving towards the beast outside.

"Stop!" They look at her and she winces, not used to holding such a commanding presence. She takes a humbling breath. "It won't get in. It can't."

"What on Earth do you mean girl?" barks Granny crossbow in her hands but then as the icy tendrils of the creature's hand reach for the front door of the diner a white shield of shimmering lace engulfs the building and it topples backwards screeching in pain. It stays solid for a moment before melting into a puddle of water and with the threat adverted all eyes swivel to her; curious, angry, scared.

"I…" sputters Marian trying to remain calm as even Roland looks at her like she's conquered the beast. She should cherish this moment the one in which her precious child sees her. "I saw the Queen cast the spell before…before…"

"She died," spits Granny tossing her crossbow under the counter loudly, "foolish girl, wasting time on something like that." Suddenly Marian feels her stomach sink low for it was not the last spell the Queen had cast the last spell had been upon her and it is a guilt she must bear that she is now safe, always safe.

"Well I say this calls for a toast to her majesty," snorts Leroy sitting down heavily at the bar once again and pointing at a bottle of whiskey.

As she lays in bed that night, Robin for once breathing quietly beside her, she thinks of the opportunity she has been given. Through trail and error Rumpelstilskin and Emma had discovered many other buildings have the protective shield around them that dispels Elsa's magic, those included the hospital, the school, the convent, and Regina's crypt and house. She turns in the bed and hovers her face above her husband's. He'd been frantic when he'd heard of the attack on Granny's and he had immediately joined them there, much to Roland's delight and Marian had thought back on his letter's words, _"Be happy."_ Perhaps he was acting on them, perhaps he was moving on.

But it is not a happy man she sees. Robin listens attentively and nods when he's supposed to but his eyes are often downcast and his smile doesn't reach his eyes anymore. He's more shell then man. Sometimes he asks her if Regina said anything else in that alley on that day when she departed but he does not probe further. He looks and radiates misery like a worn coat.

She coasts her fingers across his cheek and over his lips and is momentarily stunned when he, still sleeping, kisses them but her blood runs frigid moments later when like pray, the single deadly blow is dealt, _"Regina…"_ It's all too much and Marian springs back off the bed and stands looking over her husband panting, rubbing her fingers furiously against her pajamas. He's a loyal man, an honorable man, and he has been honest with her, had not betrayed her when he knew she was alive and well but - her view is obscured by angry tears - this is worst. So much worst. _Who's happy?_ She wants to scream.

* * *

Days of battles and confrontations drag on and the town grows weary and dreary as more snow fills their streets. Marian continues to sit in the diner with Roland and Henry, struggling to figure out what she can do. She is living a lie. Robin is not hers, no matter how much love she bestows their feelings will never be equal again. It is inconceivable Evil Queens to do not win the hearts of thieves, Evil Queens do not incur the adoration of children, Evil Queens do not have the ability to gain the entire respect of a town.

When Henry takes Roland upstairs for his nap, Marian finds herself faced with Ruby who refills her coffee and quietly waits.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm not sure there's much to say," she closes her eyes and clenches and unclenches her hands around the scalding ceramic mug hoping for its warmth to seep into her cold soul. "I am married to a man who loves another and, here now, the man I love is hardly the man I remember."

"The curse tends to do that," chuckles Ruby, "it changes you." She furrows her brows. "There's always divorce."

"That's blasphemy!" exclaims Marian frantically. Women and men do not divorce it is against the basic institution. If her father was alive he would slap her for even uttering the word, a woman does not leave a man simply because things are difficult. Leave him for what, for whom, she has nothing. Though she doubts Robin would completely abandon her the fate of shamed woman in the Sherwood Forest is too stark a reminder of the way she would suffer for such a sin.

The werewolf places a calming hand on her shoulders, "maybe in the Enchanted Forest but here, well here, it's much more acceptable. Statistically there's only a fifty-fifty chance your marriage will even be successful in this realm." She stares up at the girl. "All I'm saying is no one wants you to be miserable least of all Robin but…you don't have to suffer like this."

"Do I look like I'm suffering?" snaps the maid sharply, bitterly even; complete strangers should not be able to read her.

"You look tired. Robin looks tired. Roland looks tired. You've been saved from death, spared, it's a gift it doesn't need to be a burden." Granny shouts something about not chit chatting with the customers and Ruby turns away leaving Marian to stew in her thoughts as Henry returns and slides in across from her.

"Did you love your mother?" she asks suddenly.

"Yes, I _**do**_ love my mom and I have every confidence she will overcome this."

"She's frozen."

"You cheated death," he points out pulling his cup of hot chocolate towards him, "you and my mom aren't really that different." Marian wants to protest wants to immediately point out she didn't spend the better part of her life murdering and imprisoning people but she stole from them and there were "accidents." At the most basic level they are both women with blood coursing through their veins…and they both love the same man.

"I'll watch Roland," he adds sipping seriously spying at her over the rim of the mug. She shifts uncomfortably and moves to stand sliding on her husband's old coat; it's a little too thin for this weather but it will do. She honestly wonders how Regina raised him into the kind of man he is as she exits the restaurant.

She finds Robin just where she expects, sitting on the bench beneath the mayor's apple tree. From the amount of snow settled on his bowed shoulders he's been there awhile and will be there awhile still. She's not quite sure of the significance of the apple tree, but it appears to mean something to everyone else in the town, so it must mean something to Robin as well as she settles beside him.

"Do you want more children?" asks Marian and Robin stiffens imperceptibly beside her. It is an unfair question but she asks it because it is one that will decide so much.

"This is not the time to be thinking of such things." He rasps, not looking at her.

"Are you saying this because it is not the time or that you cannot imagine me bearing them - or more importantly the act required to conceive them?" He sits up the snow falling from his shoulders as he runs a leather gloved hand down his face.

"Marian don't."

"She's dead Robin," she states if not to assure him but reassure herself because there is nothing that can be done for the frozen, broken Queen but she is here and she is trying but her husband must make the choice because he cannot be miserable with both or live his life like this. "She executed me."

"I know." He gets out through grinding teeth. "I know but it wasn't actually like that." She looks to him confused. "Although my memories contain the devastating experience of having you get separated from us and never retrieved, there is another set - the set I lived - where we rescued you from the Evil Queen's," he shudders visibly repulsed as he says the words, "dungeon and you lived until your time came."

"So I die…"

"Either way," he sighs hands clasping fiercely on his lap, "I'm -"

"_**Sorry**_," she scoffs incredulously. "Yes. I hear so much of that but what I want to know is why? I'm alive. I'm here." She reaches for him hands cradling his cheeks forcing him to turn his body to look at her. "Why can't I be enough? I'm Roland's mother," she continues, "I'm your wife."

"I kissed Regina."

"I know that."

"No, I mean…" he runs a hand down his face. "I kissed her in her current state. I went to the crypt and kissed her."

"Why would you do that?" Marian mutters because the Queen has a broken heart, even_** if**_Robin loved her that is not enough. Henry couldn't wake the mayor; so why betray her in this manner? Why betray everything they could have by kissing the Queen?

Robin closes his eyes and sets his jaw in a manner that tells her she is about to hear something truly unpleasant and apparently completely ignorant of the cold he pulls of his right glove and rolls up his sleeve revealing his tattoo. She'd never really thought much of the ink, some remnant of his loyalty to a dead king and a memento from a crusade, nothing more then a marking unique to him. He's had it for far longer then he had known Marian so what purpose could him showing her it hold.

"A fairy came to Regina years ago and using pixie dust led her to a tavern where her true love was," he drums the tattoo steadily with his fingers, "she never approached him but she saw one thing, his tattoo." The fingers stop the arm raises for Robin to inspect. A torrent of emotions floods her and she bitterly stares open mouthed at the black ink that adorns his skin, a marking, a _**literal branding**_ that marked him as the Queen's.

"So what does that make me?" she ripostes sourly. This is literal nightmare made real. "Not your true love?"

"It doesn't make you any less but…I kissed her because I thought there was a chance. I had to take that chance, just like all those years ago I had to take that chance to rescue you from the dungeons."

She stares into his eyes and he's not lying but as Ruby says she sees the exhaustion in the periphery of his face, haunting him there. "So then how did I die?"

He closes his eyes against the memory because it clearly causes him woe but then his eyes are open blue drilling into hers. "The Sheriff caught us. He thought it would be great sport to tie me up and murder you before my incapacitated form. I watched you die, I watched you bleed out on the ground with no way to help you or hold you or even ease an ounce of your suffering."

"Did I say anything?"

"Marian…"

"I deserve to know."

"Aye, but…" He shrugs his shoulders gesturing between her and the tree. "As you've indicated what does the past matter? You are here now. I should be grateful and," he closes his eyes and stands offering her his hand before uttering, "Regina is…dead."

She sends him an unimpressed look. "What did I say, Robin?"

Again his eyes close and open slowly. "You said we all deserve second chances and I would find one. Someone new to love again. Someone new to cherish." Suddenly with painful clarity the letter's wording makes sense and his rather aggressive reaction to it. Twice, twice, he's been told the same thing and neither time has he ever gotten what he's wanted.

"Did you find one?"

"What?"

"A second chance?" She iterates not taking his hand letting her arms rest at her sides. "I need to know."

Robin sends her a frustrated look of defeat because this is the point where their relationship together will diverge along any number of paths; routes they won't necessarily share together. He bites his bottom lip, a new habit she's noticed he's adopted whenever a happy thought or a particular clever thing crosses his mind. "Marian I have every intention of doing right by you, helping you settle in, supporting you until you find the place where you belong but you no longer hold my heart. You have a place in it, a large place, but my second chance, the person I yearn for, is Regina."

She finds it difficult to speak. How easily could she simply have denied him this opportunity and kept him but she doesn't want a part of Robin she wants him all. She wants the Robin she knew and the man before her is not him, will never be him again. "Then go."

"What?"

"This is a realm of opportunity," she says fondly, "I don't need a husband but I do need a friend." She doubts she will ever be lonely the Merry Men, Little John, Robin, Roland, and even the residents of Storybrooke will most assuredly make sure of that but this is her time to try and be someone new, someone different, and this is his time to heal, to seek, to long for happiness - even if it has been ripped away.

"A friend you shall always have Marian, as God is my witness."

She smiles, watery and sad, but this too like the disorientation of time travel shall pass. "Thank you Robin, but could you leave me for the moment." She stares up into the boughs of the tree and think it really is a rather handsome plant, tenderly cared for and loved by gentle hands.

"Yes," he looks off nervously, still uncomfortable about leaving a woman alone in a distressed state. It does not help that Elsa still runs rampant. "I shall go to Granny's and procure us another room or perhaps Little John and I could bunk together, I assume you wish for the comfort of Roland tonight."

"Yes, that would be lovely." She can't look at him. If she looks she will break because forgiving, accepting, moving on is hard. It's hard and it hurts.

"You have your phone?"

"Yes." The conversation is much lighter now, almost parental, and Robin may actually be smiling if his lilt is any indication. "Whenever you are ready." He stays a moment longer probably deciding if he should touch her or not but mercifully the hollow balm of his caresses does not occur and the snow crunches beneath his boots as he moves away leaving her alone, outside the mayor's house staring at a wretched tree.

It takes but a moment to decide before she stands and marches in the opposite direction of Robin towards the Evil Queen's crypt. Two Merry Men stand guard as sentinels, not only to protect the magical items inside but also to protect the now frozen figure who the Snow Queen might come back and finish off, if her heart ever miraculously mends. Arthur and Tom nod to her as she enters and she feels her skin crawl as she moves down the steps because the last time she had been here she had been handed a letter and watched as they carried the prone body in and placed her in the crypt she had built for herself. It was comparatively plain to the ones of her parents, merely made of simple stone and no engraving as if she had left no impression on the world.

_But you have,_ she thinks as she sits in one of the chairs that circle the room (Snow White's doing no doubt), lit only by candles. There are numerous tokens at the feet of the sitting Queen and someone has perhaps comically draped a hideous blanket over her shoulders but she still sits there hands raised, knees bent, face sad, and everything about her eerily blue and crystalline.

"I have some things to say to you, your majesty," she begins, "I doubt you and I will ever be friends but I am sure you can appreciate the sentiment because you nearly killed me, had me killed, whichever the fates allowed. However, I do not appreciate being in your debt. I do not require your protection I am perfectly capable of defending myself."

"And yet here I find myself at an impasse. I have a husband and son who desire you most ardently and you have gone and gotten yourself frozen. You have hurt Robin and I'm not sure I can forgive you for that because the outlaw loves you so deeply he aches with it."

She shakes her head squinting at the figure before her and wondering what exactly she is doing. "I'm not here to tell you how to live your life but I find your method of protecting the people you care for very unimpressive because it tends to lead you in the direction where everyone suffers. I'm sure you can appreciate that what I am doing is difficult for me, but I was dead and gave my husband the blessing to move on in our old time, and I have given him that blessing again so that I can find my own true love. So I ask you, your majesty, to do the same." Suddenly something cracks and Marian looks up horrified as fissures dance along the entire frozen form of Regina until with a blinding burst of light, that forces her to cover her eyes in fear, the Queen sits breathing and olive skinned before her, stiffly smiling.

"That is Robin's coat." Regina comments wryly picking at the edge of the blanket on her shoulders before actually wrapping her shivering self in it.

She narrows her eyes. "Regardless, why have you only broken free now?"

A long finger taps against her breast. "My heart was broken, yes, but not irreparable. Rumple has a flair for the dramatics. Marian," she grows serious, "in those moments, those final moments, where I saw you actually attempting to help me I realized my light magic was not just for Robin, Henry, and Roland it was for everyone. If even you the person who has never seen me as anyone but the Evil Queen could glimpse even a shred of humanity in me and take my hand then I knew I was whole, I knew I was better and worthy of love and of being loved. So my little fractured, broken heart mended all on its own."

"Then why didn't you wake when Henry," she pauses, "or Robin kissed you?"

"Acts of true love come in many shapes and forms," shrugs Regina hopping down from the crypt and wobbling unsteadily. "It appears everyone's forgiveness was required before I was able to thaw; a true testament to my redemption. The letters were amends that appear to have granted me that, but you took your sweet time."

Marian scrunches her brows in confusion, the laws of magic completely lost on her, before asking, "What about my toll?"

"Well my spell won't wear off, so fate can't really do a damn thing about it," she shrugs. "Besides aren't you sick of things like destiny coming to mess with or dictate your life?" Regina sobers. "I am truly sorry and if you wish me to stay away from Robin and Roland I will understand. Perhaps I shall fake my death somewhere warmer."

"As I said he has my blessing, from now on all his unhappiness rests on you."

"Touching. I will make him happy," the Queen says with conviction confidence seeping through her form as she strides through her vault. "And if you allow me," she isn't facing Marian but she sees the woman's shoulders roll with tension, "I will help make you happy."

Marian casts her a glare. "I still don't like you. And I'm keeping Robin's jacket." Regina throws back her head and has wry impressed look.

"By all means."

* * *

When the Queen, Regina, walks towards him Robin bites his bottom lip, pushing it out from beneath his teeth and smiles at Regina like he has been given the most precious gift in the world and Marian watches from the sidelines quiet and sad. But suddenly a small hand slips into hers and the large paw of Little John rests on her shoulder.

"Papa says I'm to play with you Mama," giggles Roland excitedly, "he says you saved Gina."

"I contributed…I think. She mostly saved herself," and she thinks perhaps Regina saved her too from a life of fake happiness and bottomless misery where her choices were dictated by a man tied to her because of duty.

"You're an extraordinary woman, Marian," grins Little John down at her and she smiles genuinely the first time in ages. They watch Robin and Regina embrace and kiss in a completely inappropriate manner and she reaches into her pocket and pulls out her envelope.

"You never opened it?" queries John eyes glassy as he stares at the scene before him. But she does now, finger sliding under the flap until she pulls out her own slip of paper.

_You're an amazing woman. Never doubt it and never change. Marian seek your happiness and don't let anyone stop you. _

_~ Regina_

She looks up at Little John and down at Roland and over at her former - what word do they use here - husband and his Queen and thinks that unconscious time travel hadn't been as terrible as she thought (and neither had the Evil Queen.)


End file.
